Clutch mechanism for automobile-drives.



. PATENTED MAY 28, 1907. P. F. SGHAUWEKER & R. B. ROBESON.

CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILE DRIVES.

I V/ 2x 1555551- APPLIUATION FILED MAY 19. 1906.

.- UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

FRANCIS F. SCHAUWEKER AND' RUSSELL E. RoBEsoN, OF CLEVELAND,

. OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Application filed May 19, 1906- flerial No. 317,787. i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANCIS F. SoHAU- 'WEKER and RUSSELL E. RoBESomcitizens of the United States, residin at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyaho a an State of'Ohio, have invented a new an useful Clutch Mechanism for Automobile-Drives, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to power transmitting mechanisms, designed more particular] for use in connection with automobiles w ereby the power is imparted to the driving-wheels of the vehicle by a solid live axle through the intervention of automatically reversible clutch mechanisms.

' The invention relates more especially to the clutch mechanism, and its ob ects are to improve and simplify devices of this, character so that they can be inexpensivel and substantially constructed and eflicient y 0perated to connect or disconnect the wheels with the live axle automaticallp, according to the relative change in speed etween the axle and either, or both, wheels.

A further object is to provide .a clutch mechanism by which the driving axle can be automatically disconnected from the wheels for the pur ose of "driving the latter alternately in a orward or a reverse direction.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises various features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one of the embodiments of the invention: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the clutch mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof with the cover plate removed to expose the interior thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view. of one of the dogs of the clutch. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the dog actuator.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

Referri to the'drawing, 1 re resents one end of a so 'd axle of an automo ile which is on the end of the axle, and formed integral, or otherwise, therewith is a brake drum 3 for abrake of. the external type, and the hollow of the drum forms a chamber 4 in which the clutch mechanism is assembled. The open side of the drum 3 is closed by a cover which forms, with the drum, a perfectly dust proof and, if desired, a lubricant contalning casing.

. Loosely mounted on the axle 1 is an arm or han er 6 to the lower end of which are the symmetrically disposed clutch pivo'te dogs or pawls 7, the latter being pivoted at their lower ends. The dogs are each rovided on the outer surface with a shou der or tooth 8, as clearlyshown in Fig. 2, that is adapted to en age with the inwardly extendin teeth9 o the internal cylindrical surface 0 the brake drum 3. The dogs extend upwardly from their pivots around the axle 1, and are held or connected at their upper ends by an extension spring 10. For 0 erating the dogs, the actuator 11 is emp oyed. This comprises, preferably, a diskshaped member keyed to the live axle 1, and is rovided with a portion reduced from both si es so as to form the central ton e 12 and the diametrically oprposite shoul ers 13 on the opposite sides 0 the tongue. The

free ends of the dogs are bifurcated so as to receive between their bifurcations the tongue 12. The tongue contains an arc-shaped slot arranged eccentrically with respect to the center of the axle in which engage ins 14 arranged one in-each of the dogs. y this arrangement, when one dog is actuated into engagement with the teeth of the drum, the other dog is moved out of engagement with the latter. On the free ends of the dogs are inwardly extendingprojections or noses 15 provided with radial surfaces 16 with which the radial shoulders 13 of the actuator are adapted to squarel engage, when power is transmitted from t e .driving axle to either one of the wheels. Adjacent the radial shoulders 16, the dogs are each provided with a surface 17, extending substantially at right angles to the shoulder 16, so that a wiper suitably arranged on the actuator may engage with each of the surfaces 17 for actuating the dogs into their engaged position. These wipers are preferably formed by the portions 18 adjacent the shoulders 16.

From the above description, the o eration of the clutch mechanism will be un erstood, as follows. As shown in Fig. 2, the parts may be assumed to be in position for driving Ioo the vehicle in a forward direction. Power is transmitted from the shaft 1, actuator 11, right hand dog 7 through the shoulders 13 and 16, to the drum 3 through the teeth 8 and 9. The engine will continue to drive the wheels in this manner until the vehicle tends to exceed the speed of the engine, as in going down hill, or when turning a curve, when the wheels or wheel rotate faster than the axle and become automatically unclutched from the axle for the time being. When, however, the engine resumes its load, the wheels will be driven by means of the clutch or clutches, as before. If it is desired to run. the vehicle in a reverse direction, all that is necessary is to actuate the usual reversing mechanism between the engine and the live axle to drive the latter in an opposite direction, indicated by the dotted arrow in Fig. 2. The axle will, in part of a revolution, disconnect the right hand dog, and connect the left hand one. This is accomplished by means of the actuator 11 whose left hand wiper 18 moves the adjacent dog into engagement with the teeth '9, and whose'slot, 19, causes the right hand do to be retracted and moved to an inward position out of the path of the teeth 9. The spn'n 10 is under sufficient tension to assist the sot and pin connection between the actuator and dogs to retract the latter.

It will thus be seen that by means of the present invention, the Wheels of the vehicle may be positively driven in either a forward or reverse direction, and that the change in travel of the vehicle can be accomplished automatically by means ofthe clutches, and the wheels are enabled to move faster than the driving axle and run free of the latter when the speed of the vehicle exceeds that due to the en ine.

We have escribed the principle of operation of the invention, together with the a paratus which we now consider to be t e best embodiment thereof, and we desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merel illustrative, and that various changes in the design, construction and arrangements of the parts, may be resorted to without sacrificing any of the principles or advantages of the invention, as, for in stance, more than two dogs, as shown, may be employed, and instead of the interlocking teeth 8 and 9 between the dogs and drum, suitable frictionally engaging surfaces may be used, all of'which changes are embraced within the scope of the claims appended.

What is claimed is In a device of the class described, the combination of a driving shaft, an arm loosely mounted on the shaft, a pair of dogs hingedly connected to the outer end of the arm, a drum extending around the dogs and adapted to be engaged by the latter at approximately nected with the dogs to move one into ongagement with the drum while moving the other out of engagement.

2. In a device of the class described,- the combination of a driving element, a driven element having a toothed cylindrical wall, clutching members adapted to engage the said wall, a member loosely mounted on the driving element, a pivot on the said member for the clutching members, and an actuator secured to the driving element to rotate therewith for engaging one of the members while simultaneously disengaging the other to drive the driven member in either direction.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a driving and a driven element, clutching members between them, an arm loosely mounted on the driving element and extending radially from the center of the latter, means hingedly connecting the mem bers to the arm, an actuator mounted on the driving element .for actuating the members to drive the driven member in either direction, and a s ring arranged toassist in the movement 0 the-members and to hold the latter in operative engagement with the actuator.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a driving and a driven element, an arm loosely mounted on the driving element, symmetrically disposed dogs pivoted on said arm which are adapted to engage the driven element, and an actuator on the driving element arranged to. actuate the dogs so that the driven element may be automatically driven in either direction or per- ,mitted to run free of the drivin element.

5. In a device of the class escribed, the combination of a driving and a driven element, dogs mounted between them which are provided with radially extending shoulders, an actuator positively connected with the driving element which is provided with radial shoulders adapted to engage those of the dogs for holding the latter in locked position with the driven element, and means for supporting the dogs.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a driving and a driven element, dogs mounted between them which are provided with radially extending shoulders, an actuator having shoulders adapted to en gage those of the dogs, and a slot and pin connection between the actuator and the do s.

In a device of the class described, the combination of a driving and a driven element, dogs mounted between them which are rovided with bifurcated ends, an actuator aving a tongue extending into the bifurcation of said dogs, a connection between each dog and the tongue whereby the actuator imparts motion to the dogs, and means between the actuator and the dogs for holdmg the latter in locked position.

8. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a driving and a driven element, dogs provided withshoulders and surfaces arranged at an angle thereto, an actuator for the dogs provided with shoulders adapted to interlock with those on the latter, and means on the actuator engaging said sdurfaces for imparting movement to the ogs. i

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a driving and a driven element, dogs provided with shoulders and sur faces arranged at an angle thereto, an actuator for the dogs rovided with shoulders adapted to interloc with those on the latter, means on the actuator engaging said surfaces for imparting movement to one of the dogs at a time, and connections between the actuator and the dogs whereby the latter are moved simultaneously.

10. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a driving and a driven element, dogs provided with shoulders and surfaces arranged at an angle thereto, an actuator for the dogs provided with shoulders adapted to interlock with those on the latter, means on the'actuator engaging said surfaces for imparting movement to one of the dogs at a time, connections between the actuator and the dogs for moving the latter simultaneously, and a spring connected with the dogs which operate in conjunction with said connections to actuate the latter.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of a driving and a driven element, dogs provided with bifurcated noses ment provided with a tongue engaging the bifurcations of said noses and with shoulders interlocking with the noses, means on the actuator cooperating with the said surfaces for moving the dogs, groove and pin connections between the actuator and dogs, and a s ring connecting the dogs together.

. 12. n a device of the class described, the combination of a driving and a driven element, a covered drum carried by the driven element, and means for supporting the elements in cooperative relation, with a clutch mechanism arranged in the drum for automatically connecting the driving and driven elements for rotating the latter in either direction and for automatically disconnecting them, said mechanism comprising an arm loosely mounted on the driving element, symmetrically disposed dogs pivoted 0n the arm, an actuator arranged between the dogs and keyed to the driving element, interlocking shoulders between the actuator and dogs,

means between the dogs and actuator for 

